1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a music search system and a music search method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a music search system for searching for a piece of music to which the user wishes to listen according to situation.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, in the field of car audio systems, there have been conceived technologies for automatically reproducing music according to an on-the-spot situation. For example, there is a technology for reproducing/playing music on a predesignated music source (e.g., a CD player, a radio receiver, a cassette tape player, or the like) according to information about a route or the location of a vehicle. In this technology, the user previously associates the route information or the vehicle's location with a music source selected to reproduce music.
FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional music reproducing apparatus. This conventional music reproducing apparatus includes a location acquisition section 91, a source selecting section 92, a location-source association table 93, a source switching table 94, and a reproducing section 95. The location acquisition section 91 acquires information about a current location of a vehicle. The source selecting section 92 refers to the location-source association table 93 and selects a music source for reproducing music based on the current location information acquired by the location acquisition section 91. In the location-source association table 93, information about locations is associated with music sources to be selected at locations indicated by that location information and in the vicinity of those locations. The source switching section 94 receives respective music signals from the music sources, and outputs to the reproducing section 95 a music signal from one music source selected by the source selector 92. The reproducing section 95 reproduces the music signal output from the source switching section 94.
In the conventional music reproducing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 21, when the vehicle reaches a location associated with a music source, that music source is selected from a plurality of music sources, e.g., a CD player, a radio receiver, a cassette tape player, etc., and reproduces/plays music. Thus, the user can set the conventional music reproducing apparatus so as to automatically reproduce music according to situation. For example, automatic switching among the music sources is performed such that the user can listen to music on CD while driving along a seaside, and can listen to music on the radio while driving through the city. Moreover, by making settings such that each piece of music is associated with the vehicle's location and a music source, it is made possible to reproduce a piece of music matched to a seaview while driving along the seaside, for example.
In the above-described technology, however, the user is required to preset locations and music sources for performing music reproduction at those locations. Accordingly, in order to make settings such that pieces of music are reproduced according to situation, the user is required to previously check those pieces of music to be reproduced. Specifically, in a setting operation, the user is required to determine whether each piece of music is matched to situation. Thus, in the above-described technology, the setting operation is complicated to the user, resulting in a large burden on the user.